The original headstones of two Australian war heroes will now be preserved, thanks to the efforts of Crookwell RSL Sub Branch, the Australian War Memorial, and Member for Hume, Angus Taylor. 

The headstones of Privates Ralph Jones from Tuena and Benjamin Hardy were up for auction until the Crookwell RSL Sub Branch intervened and asked the Australian War Memorial to acquire them.

Mr Taylor also made representations to assist in retaining these historically significant items. 

Private Jones and Private Hardy were posthumously awarded the George Cross for the gallantry they displayed during the Cowra breakout.

In 1944 the Cowra prisoner of war camp contained nearly 1100 Japanese prisoners. At about 2am on August 5, 1944, the prisoners armed themselves with knives, bats and other makeshift weapons and stormed over the barbed-wire perimeter of the enclosure. 

After hearing shots signalling an escape, Private Jones and Private Hardy rushed to the Vickers machine-gun that was about to be overrun by the escapees. 

They fired into the attacking masses until they realised they were going to be overcome. In a final, courageous act, facing death, they disabled the gun.

They were posthumously awarded the George Cross, but over the years their headstones had been acquired by the Cowra War, Rail and Rural Museum and were listed for private auction on April 1. 

When the Crookwell RSL Sub Branch got wind of this, they wrote to the Minister for Veterans Affairs and also contacted director of the Australian War Memorial Dr Brendan Nelson, via Mr Taylor. 

Dr Nelson intervened and sent an envoy incognito to the auction, who purchased them. They headstones are now in the permanent Cowra Breakout display at the Australian War Memorial. 

Crookwell RSL Sub Branch member Malcolm Barlow said it was a win for the nation.

“We saved these nationally significant headstones from ending up in someone’s garden,” Mr Barlow said.

“We were aghast that a private museum had acquired these headstones and was going to flog them off,” Mr Barlow said.

“The Cowra Breakout is a significant event in our military history and these are sacred objects in our opinion.

“Dr Nelson agreed that they belong to the nation and he intervened to acquire them for the War Memorial.”  

Member for Hume Angus Taylor said they were nationally significant. 

“We were aghast that a private museum had acquired these headstones and was going to flog them off,” Mr Barlow said.

“The Cowra Breakout is a significant event in our military history and these are sacred objects in our opinion.

“Dr Nelson agreed that they belong to the nation and he intervened to acquire them for the War Memorial.”  

Member for Hume Angus Taylor said they were nationally significant. 

“They disabled their guns knowing they were going to be killed as the Japanese prisoners were coming at them,” Mr Taylor said. “It is an amazing story of courage. They rightly were awarded the George Cross.”

“Malcolm Barlow and the Crookwell RSL were appalled at the possibility of them going into a proivate collection and never being seen again – so and we managed to get the AWM to step in and it is a great outcome for all.

“There are these incredible artefacts out there and it is a real tribute to Dr Nelson that he stepped in to save these headstones for all Australians to be able to see.”